Heather Pentecost

September 7, 2015
MUSC 101-2A, Dr. Buis
Faculty Recital on September 3

As the humid weather threatened to turn stormy outside, the unique and oft discordant
sounds of a piano created an eerie atmosphere inside the chapel. It felt like death would
creep around the corner at any moment, especially with the sopranos whispers, overly
enunciated words, and sudden trills into her upper range. In accordance to George
Crumbs unique style in Apparition, the accompanist spent a long time literally reaching
inside the piano to pluck the lower bass strings. Professor Harts shrill notes contributed
to the strange piece of music that was transfixing the audience, uncertain of where the
melody would go next. During an instrumental interlude, percussion was added as Dr.
Horn used the woodwork of the piano to create a unique drumming rhythm. The piece
ended with the soloist mouthing words and a prolonged silence before allowing the
audience to commend the duo for their strange and eerily beautiful work. Taken as a
whole, with its cricket and bird sounds, its lack of repetition, and generally discordant
sounds, the Canadian piece reminded me of Stephen Sondheims Sweeney Todd. Her
whispered and prolonged death and rapid vocal runs contributed to this unique and
quite unforgettable musical experience.
In the same eerie vein, the second set of music showcased Horns abilities with
melodic arpeggios. As the piano grew increasingly louder, the huge conglomeration of
notes somehow worked together to form full and amplified chords. Beginning and ending

with repetitions of the highest and lowest notes on the piano, Horn explored the full range
of the ebony and ivory notes in an unnerving manner. Intermixed were some more
traditionally beautiful segments that allowed the audience to catch their collective
breath. The theme seemed to be seasons, with Green Rain alluding to a grandmothers
house in happy, nostalgic tones, with the rains exemplified by the style of the piano
playing. Even so, there was again seemingly little connection between the rhythms of the
piano and vocals. In Long Ago, the audience was treated to a happier tone as she sang
about past seasons and memories. Serenade rounded out this pleasant set with visibly
enjoyable vocal runs and a humorously abrupt end.
Finally, with entrance of clarinetist Kedrick Armstrong and the lowering of the
piano cover, the pieces featured a more consistently playful tone. In what sounded like a
yodeling lullaby, the sopranos voice, joined by a similarly sounding clarinet, then piano,
all echoed each other. But then, the shrill repeated notes and minor chords of the piano
brought in a more solemn tone. All of a sudden, the pianist spoke loudly, in a fashion not
unlike a Square Dance caller, and Lukeys Boat was over! It was soon followed by a more
traditional soprano piece, The Green Bushes, which spoke about wishful love and ended
on a sweet cadence. Calming, sweet music by the clarinet and piano in On the Banks of
Newfoundland rounded out the Canadian set. Their hilarious and exciting rendition of
Jack was Every Inch a Sailor made the audience sad to leave, as a good finale should.
This lyrical piece, with its quicker pace and fun story to tell, showed us once and for all
why these three musicians are considered masters in their respective arts.